Head of Risk Fraud and Payment Operations

Head of Risk, Fraud & Payments Operations | Malta | Hybrid

Salary circa €60-65k per annum

Are you a seasoned risk and payments leader ready to take full ownership of fraud prevention and payment operations in a high-stakes iGaming environment? We’re seeking a Head of Risk, Fraud & Payments Operations on behalf of our clients to lead a high-performing team and protect the business while ensuring players enjoy fast, frictionless payment experiences.

This is a leadership role where you’ll drive execution, build operational excellence, and balance risk control with customer satisfaction across online casino, live casino, and sportsbook operations in one of Malta’s most dynamic iGaming operators.

About the Role

As Head of Risk, Fraud & Payments Operations, you’ll take complete ownership of the risk, fraud, and payments function. You’ll lead a talented team, collaborate closely with Risk Strategy to turn detection frameworks into executable processes, and ensure every payment is processed efficiently while staying protected against fraud, abuse, and regulatory threats.

This role demands a leader who understands the complexities of iGaming fraud patterns, thrives under pressure, and sees challenges as opportunities to build better systems. You’ll combine strategic thinking with hands-on operational excellence, automation mindset, and unwavering focus on customer experience.

What You’ll Do

Leadership & Team Development

• Lead, mentor, and inspire the risk, fraud, and payments operations team
• Foster a culture of accountability, ownership, and continuous improvement
• Build a high-performance team that delivers results while maintaining compliance
• Drive team performance through clear KPIs, SLAs, and measurable outcomes

Fraud & Abuse Prevention

• Own fraud detection and prevention measures across all player touchpoints
• Combat chargebacks, bonus abuse, account takeover, identity theft, and payment fraud
• Stay ahead of emerging fraud patterns in casino, live casino, and sportsbook
• Oversee incident response and resolution of fraud and operational risks

Payments Operations Excellence

• Ensure payments are processed within business expectations, meeting efficiency and accuracy standards
• Deliver fast, reliable, low-friction payment experiences for players
• Manage payment SLAs and ensure withdrawals are processed smoothly
• Balance risk control with seamless customer journeys

Strategy Execution & Automation

• Collaborate extensively with Risk Strategy team to translate strategy into operational reality
• Design and implement automated fraud detection rules and payment flows
• Build operational frameworks that set clear processes and ensure compliance
• Identify opportunities for process automation and system enhancements

Reporting & Stakeholder Management

• Provide clear, detailed reporting on team performance, SLAs, KPIs, and fraud trends
• Deliver actionable insights to senior management and stakeholders
• Present risk metrics, payment efficiency data, and operational performance
• Communicate complex technical concepts to non-technical stakeholders

Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Work closely with Customer Support, VIP, Payments Product, Compliance, and AML teams
• Ensure all operations are safe, fast, compliant, and customer-focused
• Champion customer excellence in every player-impacting decision
• Support new market entries and licensing requirements across jurisdictions

What You’ll Bring

Essential Experience & Qualifications

• Minimum 3+ years managing Risk, Fraud, and Payments Operations teams
• At least 6 years’ experience in the iGaming industry (casino, live casino, sportsbook)
• Proven leadership skills – track record of building and motivating high-performance teams
• Deep knowledge of fraud and abuse patterns in iGaming – understand player behaviour and attack vectors
• Hands-on experience with fraud detection tools, payments platforms, and rules engines
• Strong technical understanding of fraud prevention automation and payment configurations
• Experience delivering detailed performance reports (KPIs, SLAs, risk metrics) to senior leadership
• Cross-functional collaboration expertise – particularly with risk strategy, compliance, and product teams
• Customer-first mindset – understand the importance of customer excellence while managing risk

Key Leadership Qualities

• Strong ownership and accountability – you take responsibility and deliver results
• Deep technical and operational knowledge – fraud rules, abuse detection, automated payment execution
• Analytical and detail-oriented – solve complex problems with data-driven insights
• Excellent communicator – influence across departments and engage senior stakeholders effectively
• Thrives under pressure – sees challenges as opportunities for innovative solutions
• Commercially aware – balance business goals with compliance requirements
• Target-driven and passionate – highly motivated to achieve business objectives

Why You’ll Love This Role

Full ownership – Lead the entire risk, fraud, and payments function
Strategic impact – Shape how the business protects itself and serves customers
Leadership opportunity – Build and develop a high-performing team
Technical innovation – Drive automation and system enhancements
Cross-functional influence – Work with senior leadership and multiple departments
Dynamic environment – Fast-paced iGaming operation with real challenges to solve
Career growth – Senior leadership role in Malta’s thriving iGaming sector

About Risk & Payments in iGaming

Risk, fraud, and payments operations sit at the heart of iGaming success. The industry faces sophisticated fraud attacks, evolving abuse patterns, and complex regulatory requirements—all while players demand instant withdrawals and seamless experiences. This role puts you at the frontline of this challenge, where your decisions directly impact business protection, customer satisfaction, and operational efficiency.

Ready to Apply?

If you’re an experienced risk and payments leader ready to take ownership of fraud prevention and payment operations in Malta’s iGaming sector, we want to hear from you.